Belonging
by Settiai
Summary: It was at that moment that Timothy McGee realized that they really did consider him to be a member of team.


Title: Belonging

Author: Settiai

Disclaimer: "NCIS" and other related characters are all properties of Paramount Studios, Belisarius Productions, and other related corporations. No infringement is intended. This story, such as it is, was written as a sign of respect and love for the characters, the show, and their creator. I claim no ownership of the aforementioned show and characters.

Rating: PG

Summary: It was at that moment that Timothy McGee realized that they really did consider him to be a member of team.

Feedback: Comments and helpful criticisms are always appreciated.

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"After two miles of walking he came to a town." - Walter Tevis

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When he had first heard the news that he had been assigned as a member of Gibbs's team, McGee's reaction had been animated. Ever since he had first met the NCIS agent and his team, he hadn't been satisfied with own duties. Instead, he had spent countless hours fantasizing about becoming a field agent himself… and doing anything possible to make that fantasy become a reality.

After two days of working as a member of Gibbs's team, his excitement had faded into thoughts of a "what the hell was I thinking?" nature.

Tim had never really felt like he belonged. Not as a child, a teenager in high school, a student in college… not even working for NCIS. He had always been the quiet nerd, the teacher's pet in school and the so-called brownnoser at work. Even when he tried to escape those identities, they followed him like his own shadow.

He had hoped that becoming a field agent would finally let him escape.

"Whatcha reading, Probie?"

McGee bit back a sigh as he looked up from his book and met Tony's gaze. "It's called _The Man Who Fell to Earth_," he said dryly. "You've probably never heard of it."

"David Bowie and Candy Clark," Tony shot back. "Came out in 1976."

"The book came before the movie, Tony," McGee cut in. Rolling his eyes, he lay the book down on his desk. "And it's a lot better."

"Yeah, yeah." Tony reached out and grabbed the book, ignoring McGee's rather loud "hey!" and instead focusing on skimming through the pages. "Looks boring to me."

Tony tossed the book back on the desk before wandering back to his own office area. McGee stared at him for a moment before rolling his eyes. "Become a field agent," he muttered. "Me and my bright ideas."

Muttering under his breath, McGee reached out to pick up the book.

"Come on," Gibbs said, grabbing the book that McGee was just about to pick back up. He didn't even pause on his way to the elevator. "You can read on your own time. They've found the suspects in the Thompson case."

Yep. What the hell was he thinking?

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The sound of a gunshot broke the morning air, and McGee instinctively ducked. Just as he did, something searing hot flew past his head, grazing his temple in the process. Sharp pain rushed through his head, sending him sprawling to the ground as his legs collapsed out from under him.

He could vaguely hear several people calling out his name, a haphazard mixture of "Tim!" and "McGee!" that he barely even noticed as something warm and sticky rolled down his face. His hand rushed up to touch his head, and he felt his breath catch in his throat as it came away red with blood. Even though he was merely lying on the ground, barely propped up with one arm, a wave of dizziness rushed over him.

Gunshots rang out, but McGee hardly noticed them as he instead focused on fighting his quickly blackening eyesight. Just as he thought he wouldn't be able to hold on to consciousness anymore, two strong arms suddenly wrapped around him.

"McGee, look at me."

Even through the blur of pain and confusion, McGee recognized the "unless you're dead, you better do what I say" tone in Gibbs's voice. Struggling to get his ragged breathing back under control, he slowly turned his head in the direction the other man's voice had come from. "I'm fine," he managed to choke out, just before almost collapsing in a coughing fit.

Gibbs didn't say a word, but he reached out and carefully wiped the blood out of McGee's eyes. Then he moved his hand upward, carefully running it over the bloody cut on the younger man's forehead. He didn't say anything for several seconds, but then he let out a relieved sigh.

"Damn it, McGee, you had us worried," Gibbs said sharply, his words softened by the relieved look on his face. "It's just a graze."

McGee was careful not to meet the older man's gaze, and he instead focused his attention on the blood that was once again trickling down into his eyes. He reached up and tried wiping the sticky liquid away, but he only succeeded in making his eyes sting as more blood ran into them. "I'm sorry, boss," he said softly, in a voice that wasn't much more than a whisper.

He reluctantly looked up and met Gibbs's gaze, certain that the older man was about to start ranting about how he should have been more careful, how Tony or Kate wouldn't have almost gotten themselves killed, how…

"You were lucky."

McGee's train of thought came to a screeching halt, and he knew that he was probably gaping at Gibbs. His boss didn't seem to notice, though. There was something akin to relief in his eyes… as if he had actually been afraid that it hadn't been just a graze.

As his mind struggled to wrap itself around that concept, McGee barely even noticed Tony and Kate come rushing up. If it hadn't been for the sharp swat on the back of his head, he wasn't sure that he would have noticed them. As it was, a stabbing pain that caused his eyes to water and his vision blur made him glare at Tony.

"Hey! What was that for?"

Tony shrugged, but the look on his face told a different story. The light from Gibbs's eyes was in Tony's entire facial expression. "It's for worrying us, Probie. We thought that you'd gotten yourself killed."

McGee glanced from Tony's face to Kate's, and from hers to Gibbs's. Their worried expressions were already starting to fade, but he could still them hiding in the shadows of their eyes.

It was at that moment that Timothy McGee realized that they really did consider him to be a member of team.


End file.
